Tortoise Care in the UK

According to the British Chelonia Group (BCG), the Mediterranean species most often kept in Britain are:

Tortoises can live for many decades — buying one is a lifetime commitment, so check paperwork and plan for the long term.

UK summers let tortoises live outdoors from late spring into early autumn. The BCG recommends:

• Space — at least 10 square metres per tortoise
• Walls — solid barriers at least 45–50 cm high and buried 10–15 cm, as tortoises climb and dig
• Shelter — a waterproof house in a sunny position, raised so the floor stays dry, lined with newspaper or dried leaves
• Cover ponds to prevent drowning, and skip pesticides, herbicides and slug pellets anywhere the tortoise grazes
• A well-ventilated greenhouse with lawn access is ideal in spring and autumn — but replace a lower pane with a shaded exit, as greenhouses can overheat, and remember glass filters out UV

Never tether a tortoise by the leg and never drill or oil the shell.

For indoor housing — essential for hatchlings and for overwintering — the RSPCA advises a tortoise table or indoor run of at least 180 × 120 cm for one tortoise:

Substrate should be a soil and play-sand mix deep enough to dig in — around 5 cm minimum. Avoid gravel, wood shavings and cat litter. Provide rocks for scrambling and a deep area of shredded paper or leaves for burying.

Tortoises need a diet high in fibre and minerals but low in fat and protein:

• Feed mostly weeds — dandelions, chickweed, clover, plantains, sow thistle and vetches, plus leaves like bramble and rose
• Young tortoises daily; adults every other day, washing all food to remove fertiliser or pesticide residue
• Avoid peas, beans and dog or cat food (excess protein), large amounts of cabbage, broccoli and spinach (oxalic acid), and lettuce (mostly water, poor nutrition)
• Supplements — dust food with a vitamin and mineral powder two or three times weekly; offer extra calcium daily via grated cuttlebone, especially for egg-laying females
• Water — a shallow dish sunk into the ground; supervise 10–30 minute lukewarm baths (around 24°C) so the tortoise can drink

Hibernation is the biggest UK-specific challenge. According to the BCG:

• Prepare from late summer — the gut takes 4–6 weeks to empty, so feeding tails off from early September. Book a health check first
• Temperature — keep hibernation quarters frost-free at 4–8°C, checked with a max-min thermometer. Below freezing, tortoises can lose their eyesight or their lives; too warm and they burn through vital fat and glycogen stores
• Fridge method — a larder fridge (no ice compartment) pre-monitored for a month holds an ideal 5°C; open the door daily for air exchange and weigh weekly
• Weight loss — around 1% of pre-hibernation weight per month is normal. Drastic loss or urination means wake the tortoise and get a vet check
• Hatchlings — can hibernate from their first winter if at least three months old and feeding well, but for no longer than eight weeks
• Waking — bring out slowly, then give a warm bath of at least half an hour so the tortoise drinks and empties its bladder

Any tortoise not feeding or seeming ill after waking should see a veterinary surgeon without delay.

Underweight or ailing tortoises must not be hibernated. The BCG advises overwintering on an indoor tortoise table or heated vivarium with:

• 26°C by day and 18–22°C at night — never below 15°C
• Full-spectrum light for 13–14 hours daily to prevent hibernation
• Fresh food and water throughout

See a UK-registered vet with tortoise experience if you notice:

• Runny nose or watery eyes — 'runny nose syndrome' can progress to pneumonia (see Reptile respiratory infection UK)
• Cheesy material or inflammation in the mouth — stomatitis (mouth rot), often seen after hibernation
• Soft shell — points to calcium deficiency and poor lighting (see Reptile metabolic bone disease UK)
• Diarrhoea, mucus or worms in the faeces
• Circling, disorientation or refusal to feed after hibernation — possible frost damage
• Not eating for a week outside pre-hibernation — the BCG advises seeking advice within that time